I just watched the movie "The Messenger" about Joan of Arc the other day (good movie, especially for this crowd!) During the seige of Orleans, there was a weapon there that I would like to figure out the name of. The men on the walls would roll what looked like cannon balls down these tubes and they would come out at the bottom of these tubes and into the crowd of invaders at the base of the walls. I thought that they called it a cannon, but that just didn't make sense. Any one know the official name? I would love to incorporate it into my castle.

The LEGO Castle Tech Page found at http://www.jcatena.net/lego/tech/ , offers this definition:
Machicoulis. Holes in an allure which projects further than the curtain wall. These were used to attack enemies at the base of the wall. As a feature of the stonework of battlements, these replaced part of the purpose of hoardings. Also called machicolations. See also hoarding.

I've also heard the term 'murder holes,' but I think those might be holes in the floor to drop stones and oil on attackers once they've breached the gate. I couldn't say for sure though.

"Always do what you want, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." ~ Doctor Suess

Thanks for the replies guys, but this seemed far more sophisticated than murder holes.

My understanding of a murder hole was that it hung out over the curtain wall and you could drop things directly onto invaders. This "weapon" was further back on the wall and shot the balls out from the bottom of the wall straight into the invaders, like the "tube" had a 90 degree elbow in it somewhere.

That's the concept of the thing, but is that really the name of the apparatus. It seems like the castle version should have a far more menacing name, like "Crushing Balls of Death" or something, not just "Rolling Balls." That's kinda boring for something capable of so much damage.